2016 CA Report: 9 Best Golf Cigars

Golf Cigars – 9 Masterful Sticks for the Course

By Tommy Zman Zarzecki

Cigars and golf, they go together like the Dr. Seuss classic, Green Eggs and Ham… I like cigars when on the green, I like them when I play eighteen, I like to smoke them in the cart, I bring a bundle cuz I’m smart. I light one when I’m on the tee, I puff one on a long par three, a double bogey’s not so bad, I take a puff and then I’m glad.

Cigar smoking on the golf course is one of the wonderful joys in life for us lovers of leafiness. Now, people say golf is supposed to be relaxing; but go ahead and tell me that after you shank your wedge shot into that algae covered pond on the final hole of the day. To me, cigars on the course bring an amazing level of relaxation no matter how your game is going. Sometimes I honestly think my cigar is my favorite club in my bag.

When I pick out the golf cigars I’m going to bring for my day on the links, I honestly take my time and choose carefully and with a purpose. First off I ask myself is my partner or foursome avid smokers like myself, or, casual smokers, like only when they’re out for a round. The main reason I consider this is because I personally always bring enough sticks for all to enjoy. I’m a giver, guys, what can I say. So knowing their tastes for cigars is important.

First off I consider SIZE – As for me, I personally love a nice big old 1 wood of a stick that lasts throughout the entire front nine. Then, I switch off and have a couple of smaller smokes to finish the round. And if we’re hanging afterwards for beers on the patio, it’s a finer smoke to cap off a good day with friends.

Next is STRENGTH – When I’m on the course, I’m walking a ton, huffing and puffing while chasing my Titleist deep into the woods, and sweating my ash off on a nice hot day. So, the last thing I want is a wickedly full-bodied or strong nicotine bomb to suck on. I generally go with mild to medium bodied golf cigars when swinging, and, if I’m sharing with others, mild to medium is always the safe play.

Then there’s PRICE. Hey, I LOVE my cigars and I am never cheap when it comes to a good stick, but you really do want to be a little more budget conscious when bringing smokes to the course. First off, cigars get dropped, squeezed too tight, fall off the cart and just get plain old banged around for hours. Do you really want to watch a $20 Davidoff unravel on the 2nd hole? Save that baby for the patio and be just a tad more thrifty. Also, if you’re a benevolent cigar guy like me, it’s a lot easier on the wallet to hand out quality bundle sticks to your back-nine buddies.

So now that you’re mentally and fiscally prepared, here’s a list I’ve assembled for 9 good suggestions that’ll bring joy to your golf game, even if breaking 100 is only a distant dream.

Super Smokin’ Singles… 3 lone sticks that stand up tall to a day on the lengthy links.

Arturo Fuente Canones Presidente (8 ½ in x 52 RG)

This mammoth club needs its own head cover and you might just reach for it thinking it’s your driver. This Dominican born behemoth is a super tasty, medium-bodied banger that should last you through the entire front nine.

Ashton Classic Churchill (7 ½ in x 52 RG)

Another big boy that’ll take you through nine flavorful holes, this mild n’ golden gar is truly a golfer’s classic, packed with tasty Dominican fillers and covered in a real-deal Connecticut Shade wrapper. Made at Chateau Fuente, be assured this is a quality smoke.

Montecristo Classic Especial No. 3 (5 ½ in x 44 RG)

It’s the pinnacle of this legendary brand, so why did I choose a slightly pricier smoke? Because this one is to be saved for the 19th hole, a premium golden treat for celebrating your round. A medium bodied Dominican with a Connecticut shade outer leaf, this Monte is meant to be savored.

Macanudo Café Portofino (7 in x 34 RG)

This Panatela has been a golfer’s cigar for as long as I can remember. Its slender shape and mild Dominican tobaccos are perfect for novice or casual smokers who want to bond with their buddies while swinging the irons. And the triple fermented Connecticut shade wrappers make this an ultra-smooth smoke.

Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real Porta Real (7 in x 36 RG)

It’s a long and thin lancero that’s medium bodied and packed with Nicaraguan and Dominican flavor. The Ecuadorian wrapper makes it well balanced and incredibly smooth, a wonderful choice for the course whether it’s for you or to hand out to the group.

Perdomo Champagne Magnum Tubo (6 in x 50 RG)

Now we’re ramping things up in the flavor department as this Nicaraguan made, medium-bodied delight gives off delicious notes of cocoa, almond and coffee with a smooth and silky finish. The toro size is a little more weighty to help you successfully align your putts.

Famous Nicaraguan 4000 Sixty (6 in x 60 RG)

This double toro is a big and brawny smoke for those who dig those large ring gauges. It’s an earthy, spicy Nicaraguan blend covered in a silky Ecuadorian wrapper that rounds this cigar out for smooth, sweet flavor. This cigar sells out fast and is just great for the price.

Rocky Patel Factory Selects R87 Habano Corona (5 ½ in x 46 RG)

This is simply a delicious medium-bodied smoke in a smaller corona package. Inside features a unique 4-nation blend covered in an oily and supple Habano wrapper leaf. The price is amazingly low for a cigar of this quality and you’ll be the hero handing them out.

General Honduran No. 54 Maduro Robusto (5 in x 50 RG)

It’s the only Maduro I chose for the line-up, but it’s medium bodied and tasty and not overpowering by any means. This Honduran sports a thick Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, which will stand up nicely to the rigors of a day on the golf course. Another terrific bundled smoke at a really great price.

Tommy Zman Zarzecki

Tommy Zman, is an obsessive enjoyer of life’s leafy pleasures. Growing up in the bowels of northern New Jersey, parented by an eccentric Polish father and a neurotic Italian mother, what else could this man possibly be other than a humorist? ZMan’s a real throwback to a time when men were kings of the castle and smoking a cigar in public didn’t label you an outcast and a pariah. He’s an old–school down to earth guy - but when it comes to p.c. tyranny and nanny-state legislature, he’ll draw his sword and swing for the fences. Tommy gathered a faithful following as a longtime feature writer at Cigar Magazine, and his testosterone laden FaceBook community, CROMAG NATION™ is truly the last great bastion for Men’s Men.